Tuesday, August 08, 2006
Golf at St Gatien
We set off for the second day's golf at about 11 having enjoyed a lie in and french breakfast. The journey is a very pleasant one, first passing through Le Touques- which is described as a 'Ville Fleurie' where there are the incredible flowers, absolutely everywhere. There are varieties of pansies and geraniums never seen before set alongside tropical palms and yukka plants, it is a sight to behold. This small town of no more than a thousand people puts to shame so many of the English councils who fancy their flower beds impressive, all within 50 yards of passing through the outskirts.
After Touques we drive through Bonneville and then pass into 'La Foret'... there is about a two mile stretch of perfectly straight road cut through a dense forest. The temptation to 'floor it' along the road with visibility as far as is the next hummock in the road, passing the pitiful french men in their renault 5's, is all but too great. The picture does not do justice to the clearing in the forest- literally a line through the trees as far as you can see.
Shortly after passing the main road to Deauville & St Gatien Aeroport we reach the course. Today Hector was feeling most adventurous and was difficult to keep under control. Whilst at first happy to sit in the bag as we went round, much the same as yesterday, it was not long before he was kartwheeling around the greens and chasing the sea gulls. Defiant as he often is, Hector would not let us putt at the 3rd without first posing for a photo.
Soon enough he was demanding the chance to have a go at playing- despite the blindingly obvious problem of the dimensions of a golf club in comparison to Hector's own physique. Never to be told otherwise Hector did his best at the 5th tee, in the end he managed to knock the ball about 5 feet after doing a triple kartwheel as the approach and then striking it with his antlers.
5 feet in scale terms would be like you or I knocking a giant billiard ball half the length of footall pitch. With hindsight he agreed that the bruising to his antlers was not worth being able to join in. From then onwards Hector was content to sit on top of my bag as we went round the course, every so often running off to explore the course, but staying well clear of the lakes and bunkers.
He's really a fantastic friend to take on holiday, full of energy and always out to enjoy himself. Still quite young, Hector is not afraid to be silly and do things just for the sake of them.
In protestation at our long round of golf which he clearly couldn't take part in- he blocked the last hole in a 'stand-in' protest. After agreeing to let him feast on the leftovers of yesterday's picnic when we got back to the room he got out of the hole and let us finish off.
After Touques we drive through Bonneville and then pass into 'La Foret'... there is about a two mile stretch of perfectly straight road cut through a dense forest. The temptation to 'floor it' along the road with visibility as far as is the next hummock in the road, passing the pitiful french men in their renault 5's, is all but too great. The picture does not do justice to the clearing in the forest- literally a line through the trees as far as you can see.
Shortly after passing the main road to Deauville & St Gatien Aeroport we reach the course. Today Hector was feeling most adventurous and was difficult to keep under control. Whilst at first happy to sit in the bag as we went round, much the same as yesterday, it was not long before he was kartwheeling around the greens and chasing the sea gulls. Defiant as he often is, Hector would not let us putt at the 3rd without first posing for a photo.
Soon enough he was demanding the chance to have a go at playing- despite the blindingly obvious problem of the dimensions of a golf club in comparison to Hector's own physique. Never to be told otherwise Hector did his best at the 5th tee, in the end he managed to knock the ball about 5 feet after doing a triple kartwheel as the approach and then striking it with his antlers.
5 feet in scale terms would be like you or I knocking a giant billiard ball half the length of footall pitch. With hindsight he agreed that the bruising to his antlers was not worth being able to join in. From then onwards Hector was content to sit on top of my bag as we went round the course, every so often running off to explore the course, but staying well clear of the lakes and bunkers.
He's really a fantastic friend to take on holiday, full of energy and always out to enjoy himself. Still quite young, Hector is not afraid to be silly and do things just for the sake of them.
In protestation at our long round of golf which he clearly couldn't take part in- he blocked the last hole in a 'stand-in' protest. After agreeing to let him feast on the leftovers of yesterday's picnic when we got back to the room he got out of the hole and let us finish off.# posted by MChem Wannabe @ 1:11 PM 
